


A heart with scars

by wovlesin



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Emotional, Established Relationship, Gay Cowboys, John and Arthur are in love dude!, John marston loves Arthur Morgan, Kinda, M/M, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-14 22:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18485464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wovlesin/pseuds/wovlesin
Summary: John glances at the presence next to him, a head resting gently atop his shoulder. A sign of trust John has never taken for granted





	A heart with scars

**Author's Note:**

> FORMAT HEAVILY INSPIRED by gwennolmarie !!!
> 
> I’m kinda proud of this, I hope anyone who wants to read this enjoys it!  
> Hopefully not ooc, both john and arthur have an emotional side so i kinda tuned into it, I hope.  
> Any mistakes are my own, please feel free to comment on them or critique it.

It’s a chilly & absent night in Rhodes, wind flows between the tree’s leaves. 

A small campfire illuminates the surrounding area, a soft red-orange resting softly.  

John & Arthur are camped some amount of miles from camp; a job gone slightly flawed causing it. 

Sending both men fleeing, firing bullets faster than they could speak, gunfire almost becoming a second language to them. 

A language they spoke well, but had not learned by choice; but grown into with helping hands of misguided men. 

Blossomed into a life of running and gunpowder, risks of nooses so tight they’d choke before hung for their sins.

Arthur makes a small ‘ _hmph_ ’, slightly adjusting his body next to John’s.  

The two men rest somewhat softly against a broken log, backs resting upon it; surprisingly big enough for both of them. 

John glances at the presence next to him, a head resting gently atop his shoulder. A sign of trust John has never taken for granted.

A sign of trust he values so deeply it holds the strings of his heart. 

Arthur’s never been easily relaxed. 

His shoulders squared and alert, ready to throw a punch so heavy it’ll knock you to the ground. 

Eyes alert and sharp; eagle like, watching movements of possible preys or threats. 

Fists clenched so tight it must ache his knuckles, yet they ghost over his holster; a trigger-finger that never rests. 

But here he is, his head on John’s shoulder as the fire  _crackles and pops_ and the animals surrounding the woods provide ambiance. 

Relaxed in a such a way only John has seen.

Eagle eyes closed softly, eyelids resting easily against those ocean blues (that John swears change to forest green). 

Fists that we’re once clenched lay atop Arthur’s own thighs, splayed against the fabric of his pants. 

Volatile shoulders slouched, no doubt aching from the constant posture of paranoia. 

John feels himself smile; something so genuine it fills him with a familiar warmth; something he feels only with Arthur. 

John brings Arthur’s own hand atop his thigh, lacing their fingers together. 

Arthur let’s out another sound, but not of protest. 

John had wondered what being in-love felt like. 

Wondered what it would be like to have something as pure as unconditionally surrendering yourself to another. 

John understands now. 

Had it not been for Arthur, he’d be dead.

If not for Arthur, he would’ve never felt intimacy that didn’t result from pity. 

If not for Arthur, he wouldn’t know happiness, pure unfiltered happiness.

John is more than vulnerable for Arthur. 

Willing to present himself in a way nobody else has had the permission to witness. 

Shades of red falling from metaphorical wounds, scratches and cuts reopened and torn. 

Tears once fallen replaced with a grin so broken it should’ve been sounded of glass. 

John would die for him, happily kill for him. 

Willing to sacrifice anything if it meant to be with Arthur. 

Yet he hasn’t had too. 

Arthur surrenders his heart to him as if it was on a platter, served only for John. 

A heart once shattered repeatedly but somehow put back together. 

A heart with scars that had taken time to heal over. 

A heart John holds dearest, holds with the intent of locking it within his own. 

He _**loves**_ ****Arthur.

Thinks he has from the start. 

John softly places his head against Arthur’s. 


End file.
